Indentifying-label for books



(No Model.)

J. M. BEERS.

IDENTIFYING LABEL FOR BOOKS. No. 388,012. Patented Aug. 21, 1888.

WITNESSES INVENTOR:

ym mm, 1%,

ATT O RNEY.

H, mm: Photmulhognpher, wmm w. no.

LlNiTED drATEs PATnNr @rrrcn JAMES MOORE BEERS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

lNDENTlFYlNG-LABEL FOR BOOKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,012, dated August 21, 1888.

Application filed January 23, 1888. Serial No. 261,680. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES MOORE Bnnns, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Identifying-Labels for Books, of which improvement I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and fig arcs of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

The invention has for its object to secure to publishers the control of the sale ofbookspublished by them, to prevent book-scalpers from underselling the publisher or his agent on his own publications, and to secure to general agents and canvassers the selling territory they have contracted for; and to that end the invention consists of the herein described and claimed method of manufacturing books, whereby each book contains within itself an identifyingmarlgso placed and combined with the essential parts of the book in the manufacturing of the same that the mark cannot be removed or destroyed or tampered with in any way without destroying the book, and forms an integral and inelfaccable part of said book so long as the book retains its structure and character as a merchantable and salable book, and also bears a duplicate of the same mark on an external and visible label; and the invention also consists of the herein described and claimed duplicate and protected label which I have found bcst adapted to carry out my invention.

In practicing the invention the book-binder is to fold, gather, stitch, and round the book, as is now the custom of the trade. Then, after applying glue to the back edges or folds of each signature and the stitching at the back of each book, and before the back lining is made fast, he shall affix a gummed label bearing a separate distinguishing or identifying mark for each book upon the folds of the signature, varying the situation of the same at pleasure along the back edges or folds of the signatures, Over this label so applied a protecting-flap is to be folded. Another gummed label bearing a duplicate identifyingmark and forming part of the protected label and having a line of perforations between it and said protected label is then detached through the said line of perforations, from the protected label and suitably affixed to a leaf or some outer part of the same book, so as to be readily seen. The back lining is thento be securely fastened, so as to cover and hold in 'placetheprotected label and its protecting-flap, and so that the same cannot be removed or tampered with or destroyed without first removing the back lining or otherwise destroying the book as a book. The book-binder is then to back the book, glue on the cases, and press the book.

Instead of applying the protected label to the back of the signature it may be applied in or upon any other part of the cases, linings, or back of the book where a label may be applied and where it and its flap will be covered and protected by the outer part or parts of the book: but I prefer the former way of applying the label as best suited to infallible identification, and I prefer to combine itwith the back of the signatures as described.

In practicing the invention I prefer to put a different mark in each separate book madeas, say,a series of numbers, or of letters, or other arbitrary marks-and there should be placed upon the title or any other page or external part of the book the label bearing aduplicate of the protected identification-mark.

The kind of label I prefer using may be of cloth, paper, or other suitable substance, and has a flap to protect it from exudation of the glue or from defacement by the back-lining, when,for the purpose offinally identifying the book,the back-liningis torn or separated from said label, and it has also a detachable label bearing the same identifyingmark.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a book embodying my invention, the back being ready to be secured in proper position and revealing the identifying-label, the protecting-flap, and the duplicate label in position to be detached, and the back-lining of the book ready to be pasted down securely over the identifying-label and protecting-flap. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the form of label I prefer to use. It is made of cloth or other suitable substance, and has the main body part A gulnmed on the back and bearing on its face the identifying'mark of the book, and the flap part B, which covers the mark and protects it from destruction when the back-lining is torn or separated from it,and the perforated detachable portion 0, also gummed on the back and bearing on its face a duplicate of said identifyingniark.

Similar letters of referencein the two figures indicate like parts.

D is the body of signature of the book sewed or secured together in the usual way.

E is the backlining.

F is the cover.

As stated, A is the main part of the form of label that I prefer to use, and which bears the identifying-mark.

B is the flap of the label which protects the mark from the back-lining E, and O is the perforated detachable portion or label bearing the same identifying mark as A, and intended to be detached before the back-lining E is secured down over the parts A and B, and to be then affixed to some outerportion of the book.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In the manufacture of books, the method of affixing a suitable identifying-mark, which consists in suitably affixing upon or to theinner part of the case, lining, or back of the book a 1abel,A,bearing said identification-mark, and having a protecting-flap, B, and covering the same by securely and permanently applying thereto the outer part of the book, and suitably affixing upon or to the outer part of the book the label 0, bearing a duplicate of said identifying-mark, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The label A, bearing an identifyingmark and having the protecting-flap B,in combination with the detachable label 0, bearing a duplicate of said identifying-mark, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

JAMES MOORE BEERS.

\Vitnesses:

FELIX R. SULLIVAN, JAMES C. G. UNDUoH, O. O. POULTNEY. 

